Nonlinear disturbance observer-based finite-time convergent second order sliding mode control for a tailless aircraft

This paper presents a nonlinear disturbance observer-based finite time convergent second order sliding mode control scheme for a tailless aircraft with uncertain parameters. Command angles and angular rate commands are robustly tracked in outer and inner loops correspondingly via finite time convergent second order sliding mode controllers. Nonlinear disturbance observer is employed to retain overall high accuracy of the closed-loop tracking. An optimal control allocation algorithm is employed using nominal mathematical model of an aircraft. The control approach is applied to the innovative control effectors (ICE) fighter aircraft. Computer simulations demonstrate high accuracy tracking performance.